“Organic” products and organic foods have become a buzzing topic as of lately. Not surprisingly, consumers are often confused as to what organic really means. This article answers some of the most common questions about buying organic and the benefits of choosing certain organic foods over non-organic foods.

What is Organic?

Use of the term Organic is monitored by the USDA National Organic Program (NOP). The NOP uses the word “Organic” to mean that a food or produce is grown or raised without the use of pesticides or synthetic fertilizers, in an area that is not contaminated by sewage, and does not involve genetically modified organisms or ionizing radiation [1]. “Organic” meat means that the animals are not raised with or given antibiotics or growth hormones.

The USDA NOP has created three categories of organic. 100% Organic is a top grade Organic product and all ingredients in the product are made according to the USDA organic farming standards. The second category is labeled simply as Organic which means that at least 95% of the ingredients are organic.  The third category is “Made with Organic Ingredients” which signifies that at least 70% of ingredients are made according to USDA’s organic standards without any genetically modified organisms.

Don’t get tricked!!! Products that contain less than 70% organic ingredients may still have labels boasting about their few organic components; this does not mean that the product is considered an organic product!!

Look for the Seal The USDA Organic seal assures buyers that the product comes from a manufacturer or farm that has an Organic-certified program and system plan and that all records of product production are verified in accordance to that plant. Manufacturers and farms that produce food that hold this seal are inspected annually unannounced to ensure standards are met and maintained.

Why Buy Organic??

Pesticides belong to a group of chemicals intended to kill living organisms and are intended to be toxic material. Consuming small amounts of pesticides each day may lead to a build-up of these toxic materials in the body. Pesticides in and on food have been linked to a variety of health problems including skin, eye, and lung irritation, cancers, nervous system side effects, and changes in hormone levels [2]. Organic produce is grown to be “earth friendly”, without pesticides and synthetic fertilizers. Although some foods nutritional content does not change depending on whether the food is organic or not, the presence of pesticides does!!!

What to buy Organic

According to the Environmental Working Group, the most contaminated foods are peaches, strawberries, apples, domestic blueberries, nectarines, cherries and imported grapes; buy these fruits organic! Of the vegetables: celery, sweet bell peppers, spinach, kale, collard greens and potatoes are best to buy organic because these vegetables retain the most pesticides [3].

Naturally lower in Pesticides

The vegetables least likely to test positive for pesticides are onions, sweet corn, sweet peas, asparagus, cabbage, eggplant and sweet potatoes. Lower pesticide containing fruits include avocados, pineapples, mangoes, kiwi, domestic cantaloupe, watermelon, grapefruit and honeydew.

For a complete list of pesticide content for fruits and vegetables go to www.foodnews.org

Your  Shopping List for Organic Foods:

Buy these Organic  (15 Listed from most pesticide-containing to least)

1. Celery
2. Peaches
3. Strawberries
4. Apples
5. Domestic Blueberries
6. Nectarines
7. Sweet Bell Peppers
8. Spinach
9. Kale/ Collard Greens
10. Cherries
11. Potatoes
12. Imported Grapes
13. Lettuce
14. Imported Blueberries
15. Carrots

For a complete List visit www.foodnews.org

[1] http://www.ams.usda.gov/AMSv1.0/NOP
[2] http://www.epa.gov/pesticides/food/pest.htm
[3] www.foodnews.org

You can’t trust everything you read, especially if it is a nutrition label! In a disheartening study from the Journal of the American Dietetic Association, researchers found that many dietetic frozen food entrees had many more calories than their nutrition labels claimed; on average, the frozen foods, including items from Weight Watchers, Lean Cuisine, Healthy Choice, and South Beach, contained 8% more calories than their boxes suggested. They also found many discrepancies between the number of calories in food items at many popular chain restaurants and the number of calories these restaurants claim their food contains. On average, restaurant foods contained 18% more calories than listed.

So if you can’t trust a printed calorie count, what can you trust? It seems, not much.

According to restaurant representatives, these calorie discrepancies are due to slight variations in portions sizes. For example, a particular restaurant worker may use slightly more cheese in the potato skins than another restaurant employee. They claim that it is impossible for workers across the country to keep menu items completely uniform.

This study brings into question the usefulness of the new “calorie labeling” laws recently passed in many areas, including New York City. What is the purpose of requiring companies to post calorie counts if they are not accurate?

In my opinion, calorie postings are crucial, even if the actual calorie count is not exact. According to the FDA, restaurant and packaged foods are allowed a 20% margin of error. Therefore, a 300 calorie sandwich may contain anywhere from 270 to 330 calories. These “estimates” (which is really what they are) give consumers a good idea of how healthy a food is. Even if you don’t know exactly how many calories an item contains, the postings give you an idea of which choices are healthier than others. And since few Americans adhere to a very strict number of daily calories, a rough estimate is good enough.

Some nutrition experts argue that eating an extra hundred or so calories on a continual basis will lead to weight gain. Of course that statement is true, but I just don’t see a better alternative. Having some idea of how many calories a food contains is better than having no idea at all.

Certain restaurants, however, have crossed the line. Slight variations in portion size do not explain the fact that P.F. Chang’s Sichuan Asparagus had more than DOUBLE the 200 calories the dish is reported to contain. Such egregious discrepancies are unacceptable and restaurants should have to pay significant fines for misleading the public.

Yet not all items went over their stated calorie counts. Researchers found many items that contained fewer calories than reported! Domino’s large thin crust pizza, for example, had one third fewer calories than the listed 180 calories per serving. Now that is a refreshing piece of news, although I guarantee that Domino’s will be posting this new, lower calorie count faster than P.F. Chang’s will change their Sichuan Asparagus calorie count!

Obviously, I would like calorie postings to be as accurate as possible. But when actual people are preparing the meals, there is no way for serving sizes to be 100% standardized. With the current obesity crisis as it is, we need to do everything we can to give consumers as much nutrition information as possible. Until there is a way to exactly calculate how many calories a person is eating, calorie estimates will have to suffice. Let’s just institute strict laws for companies, like P.F. Chang’s, who blatantly misrepresent themselves.

First there was the airbrushing of babies in magazines and now parents are starving newborns so they don’t become “fat babies”. What is this country coming to?

We all know that being overweight is unhealthy and can put a person at risk for medical illness. Being too thin, however, is also not healthy and often not attainable. Most of us were not meant to be a size zero. And those who do manage to starve themselves to this size, wind up regaining the weight. Yes, there are some people who are naturally skinny and they can be healthy. But most people really have to work to get (and stay) at that size, often using unhealthy methods. Society’s obsession with emaciation is leading to many adverse side effects.

Consider the case pending against Brittainy and Samuel Labberton for attempting to starve their newborn daughter to the point of clinical emaciation. They were much more concerned about the child’s looks than the child’s health! When the baby gained some (much-needed) weight during a hospitalization, Brittainy complained “’Oh my God, she’s fat’ and ‘I have a fat baby,’” according to Senior Deputy Prosecutor Carol Spoor. The baby’s dad was not better. He complained to detectives that his 9-month old daughter had “gained so much weight that now she is fat,” according to court documents. In fact, during a visitation after she was taken to a foster home, they gave the infant a bottle filled with a laxative to help remove some of the weight gained since the child’s removal from the house.

I see more subtle cases of this in my office, on a regular basis. I have seen mothers bring in normal-weight teen girls, complaining that they are too heavy. One mom even forced her daughter to drop her jeans so I could see “how disgusting her huge thighs are”. These moms are never pleased when I refuse to treat their daughters and instead I tell them that they are “healthy and beautiful.” Can you imagine what this does to a young girl’s self-image? My job is to help overweight kids get to a normal body weight, not to help young girls starve themselves to live up to some unrealistic expectation from their mothers!

The truth is that babies, children, and even adults NEED to have some body fat! The human brain is not fully developed at birth; during the first years of life, fat is used to nourish the brain and allow for proper development. Kids are supposed to have fat on their bodies, as well. Unlike adults, children are still growing and need sufficient calories and nutrients to do so. Even adults need some fat on their bodies. We were not meant to be stick-thin. A person considered “normal-weight” by the medical community would be considered enormous by Hollywood standards. Admiring pin-thin models and celebrities only leads our children to have more self-doubts and lower self-esteem. Instead of focusing on getting skinny, we should discuss getting healthy. There is a happy medium.

Children who feel accepted by their parents are more likely to feel secure, do better in school, and simply be happier. As parents, we must do all we can to nurture a positive sense of self in our children. Let’s stop obsessing about cellulite and a few extra pounds and instead focus on keeping weight in a healthy range, not too heavy and not too skinny. As my mom always says, “Everything in Moderation!”

Camps are generally nurturing environments designed to help your child succeed and grow.  Whether playing sports all day or learning about science experiments, all children need healthy foods to help their endurance and brain activity.  Healthy lifestyles begin with healthy food choices and healthy food choices should be encouraged every day, no matter where you are; school or camp!  Because you are a concerned parent, there are a few questions you must ask the camp administration upon admitting your child into summer camp.

Here are a few suggestions to help make the most out of your child’s camp experience:

1. Make sure the camp is accredited by the ACA (American Camp Association).  It is the best evidence parents have of a camp’s commitment to a safe and nurturing environment for their children. This voluntary accreditation guarantees parents that camp practices have been measured against national standards and go a step beyond basic licensing requirements.
2. Speak to the camp administration regarding their food resources and snack-time availability.  Ensure their food suppliers have a high-quality reputation and encourage a break be made for a snack time if there is not any.
3. Talk to the camp nutrition staff (if there is one) and ask them what types of meals are served.  Remember, you want fresh fruits and vegetables, whole grains and lean meats being served to your child on a daily basis.
4. Does the camp have any nutrition guidelines?  If so, what are they? Ask to speak with the camp official who is in charge of the menu.
5. If your child is attending a day camp, you may want to ask if children can bring their own lunches and snacks; by doing this you can control the nutritional value of the meal.

Focus on a healthy lifestyle all year round!  Months and months of health food choices during school cannot afford to be offset by unhealthy food choices made in the summer.   It is important that children are served well-balanced and healthful meals at summer camps not only to maintain their weight loss but to remain fit and active.  Become an advocate for your child and demand that healthy meals are served at camp.  Do not be afraid to ask questions concerning the nutritional value of meals being served to your child; summer camps want to provide special experiences for your children so they should be happy to help you in any way possible.

Top 10 Snacks for Camp-Go-ers!

1. Hummus with fresh carrots, celery and peppers for dipping.
2. Peanut butter spread on rice cakes.
3. 2 cups of air-popped popcorn.
4. Trail mix made of low fat and low sugar granola, assorted nuts, seeds, raisins and craisins.
5. Non-fat plain yogurt topped with fresh berries.
6. 1 cup of edamame.
7. Apple slices and low fat string cheese.
8. 1 small whole wheat pita stuffed with 2 turkey slices, spinach leaves and fat-free cheese.
9. Baked sweet potato chips.
10. Your favorite flavor Fiber One bar.

The likelihood of our children living healthy, long lives continues to decrease.  A new study from the Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center found that children now have more risk factors for heart disease than their parents.  Our kids are now more likely to have a heart attack at some time during their lives than we are!

The major reason for this increased risk is the significantly increased rate of obesity among children.  Studies show that children today have a significantly higher body mass index (BMI) than children in the past.  Even more disturbing, they also have increased mass in their left heart ventricles, a known risk factor for both heart attacks and strokes.

This study supports what the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) has been saying for the past few years; pediatricians and parents MUST start screening kids for obesity and taking action immediately.  We can no longer wait until our children “grow out of their baby fat”.  Unfortunately, today’s kids keep their baby fat and continue to add to it throughout their lives.  Without some sort of intervention, our children will continue to eat themselves to death.
One major hindrance to treating overweight children is that parents and pediatricians often fail to recognize that a child is overweight.  Our country’s perception of normal is completely skewed; we have lost sight of what a child is supposed to look like.    Studies show that the majority of parents of obese children consider their kids “normal weight”.  In fact, some of these parents labeled their kids as “underweight”.

We must look at the facts and ignore our preconceived notions of what is a normal weight for a child.  The body mass index (BMI) percentile is the best way to screen a child for obesity.

Pediatricians use BMI percentiles to determine if a child is overweight or obese.  BMI is a measure of body weight relative to height.  You can’t determine if a child is overweight without considering the child’s height.  For example, is a child who weighs 90 pounds overweight?  That depends.  That child would be overweight if he were three feet tall but would not be overweight if he were five feet tall.  BMI tells us how appropriate a child’s weight is for his height and is a better measure of body fatness than body weight.

With adults, BMI interpretation is very cut and dry.  A BMI between 25 and 30 is considered overweight, between 30 and 35 is considered obese, and between 35 and 40 is considered morbidly obese.

It is not so simple for children.  Children at different stages of growth and development are expected to have different amounts of body fat.  At some stages of childhood they should have more body fat and at other stages of childhood they should have less.

To decide if a child is overweight or obese, we look at a child’s BMI percentile.  That is, we compare a child’s BMI to the BMIs of all children of the same age and gender.  We then see how the child compares to his peers.

What does it mean if a child is in the 88th percentile?  A child whose BMI is in the 88th percentile has a BMI that is greater than 88% of all children of the same age and gender.  This child is in the overweight category.

A BMI between the 85th and 95th percentiles is considered overweight; between the 95th and 99th percentiles is considered obese; above the 99th percentile is considered morbidly obese.

Parents should ask their pediatricians about their child’s BMI percentile at each well child visit.  If your child’s BMI is greater than the 85th percentile, you must take action immediately to minimize your child’s risk of a heart attack and to maximize your child’s lifespan.  Do not wait to intervene!

Play dates are a great way for your child to interact with other children, learn to share, build social skills, and most of all, have fun! But what happens when your overweight child comes home to tell you about the fried Oreos or fast food snack he consumed at his friend’s house?

It is clear that parents often have different styles and ideas concerning food. But there are ways to ensure your child’s play date doesn’t turn into a day of indulgence.

Here are some helpful hints to having peace-of-mind during play dates.

1. Have an open conversation with your child. Discuss the food options he may encounter and help him come up with healthy alternatives. When served an unhealthy treat, teach him to respectfully say, “No thank you. May I have an apple or some almonds instead?” He doesn’t need to tell his friends why he is choosing a healthier food. If they ask, he can simply say, “I like this better.” End of discussion.
2. Talk to the other parents. You don’t need to go into details but you can mention that your family is trying to eat healthy and avoid junk food and super-sized portions. By saying your family and not your son, you switch the emphasis from your son’s weight to your entire family’s health.
3. Give some examples of the types of (easy) snacks that you prefer. Some parents may not know which snacks are healthy or may simply be unable to come up with healthy ideas. Choose items that most people have in their kitchens. You may mention apples or apple slices with peanut butter, bananas, low-fat yogurt, raw veggies, reduced-calorie bread with turkey slices, baked potato chips, and low-fat cheese sticks. You may find these parents stocking up on these healthy snacks once they see your child eating them. Everybody’s home may wind up healthier!
4. Ask the parents to serve your child water instead of juice or soda.
5. If your child is embarrassed to have you speak to his friend’s mother, simply send your child to the play date with a healthy snack from home. If your child feels comfortable bringing his own snack, prepare a snack ahead of time so he can enjoy a healthy option without having to explain himself. He can simply say, “I am just a picky eater so I brought my own.”
6. Lead by example: When you are hosting play dates, have a variety of foods for kids to try. Prepare healthy foods you know your children love and create a friendly environment for their friends to discover new foods.  For example, if you know your child loves red peppers, slice up a few and notice what happens. Other children will become curious and may end up loving red peppers too. When kids see a friend eating something and loving it, most often they will try it with on open mind, no force necessary! They will probably go home and ask Mom to buy their new favorite food… red peppers!
7. Encourage active play dates to decrease the amount of sedentary time children have throughout the day. Weather permitting, try to get the kids outside with suggestions such as playing tag, bike riding, shooting hoops or any running-type sport, like soccer. If it is winter time, try inside games like twister, Wii sport or Wii Fit to keep kids moving. Sometimes kids just need a little prodding to move away from the TV and towards something active.

Most of all, be open and honest with other parents. Explain that this is something you are struggling with in your own house and that you would appreciate any help on this matter. You may be surprised to learn that you are not the only family on the block with the exact same issues!

Mothers continually struggle with trying to get their kids to eat more vegetables.  The question arises, should moms sneak veggies into their children's food?  Or should they spend their energy convincing their kids to eat vegetables on their own?

It is clear to me that it is worth the extra effort to get your children to eat vegetables knowingly and willingly.  Sure, you can spend your time mashing up carrots and chopping up spinach to sneak into your daughter's pancakes.  But what will happen five or ten years from now when she is living on her own?  She won't be used to the true taste of a veggie and she certainly won't have the time (or patience) to julienne her own greens.  Your victory will be short-lived.

You are much better off teaching your sons and daughters to enjoy the taste and the crunch of a vegetable.  It may seem easier said than done but there are some strategies you can use to make the process easier.

1. Serve your child vegetables from the beginning and continue through toddlerhood.

Every baby is given vegetables as some of their first foods.  But somehow, by the time a child is 2, his sole vegetable is usually potatoes in the form of french fries.  Parents often stop serving vegetables because the child is too old for pureed veggies and too young to eat hard chunks of vegetables on his own without choking.  Yet this is the most crucial time to serve your kids vegetables as snacks.  Try steaming or microwaving vegetable chunks until they are soft and no longer a choking hazard.  Be sure to serve all different types, including broccoli, carrots, zucchini and cauliflower.  Half of your child's mealtime plate should be vegetables.

2. Allow your children to see you enjoying vegetables.

If you crinkle your nose at the sight of a brussel sprout, it is likely your children will too.  On the other hand, if you look forward to eating vegetables, your children will get the message that veggies are a healthy and delicious part of their diet.

3. Serve vegetables as its own course before the meal.

What mother hasn't experienced her kids crying that they are STARVING while she is cooking dinner?  This is a perfect opportunity to get your kids to eat their vegetables.  Put out a plate of chopped veggies for your kids to pick on while you cook.  When vegetables are the only option, kids are more likely to eat them.  Give them another choice and they will often go with the less healthy version.

4. Serve vegetables in funny designs.

A bowl of zucchini may not seem fun but place the zucchini on a plate in the shape of a smiley face and suddenly eating it becomes a game.  Presentation can make a big difference.  Plate the vegetables in different shapes and your children may enjoy eating them more!

5. Serve vegetable soup.

Most kids love a bowl of vegetable soup, particularly on a cold day.  When you are having a particularly hard time getting your children to eat their veggies, throw them into a soup.

6. Take your kids shopping.

Take your children to the grocery store and spend some time in the produce aisle.  Go through the types of vegetables with them so they know the different options.  Allow your children to pick which special vegetable they want to try that week.  Then, when you serve it, make a big deal that this is your child's "Special Vegetable of the Week".

7. Start a vegetable garden.

Even better than letting them choose a vegetable from the supermarket?  Letting them pick one off the vine.  Start a vegetable garden with your children so they can grow their own vegetables.  Get them involved by allowing them to water and tend to the garden.  Then when the vegetables are grown, have your kids pick them and help you prepare them for eating.  The more invested your children are in the process, the more likely they are to eat the vegetables!

8. Serve vegetables with a healthy dip.

Everybody loves veggies with dip.  The key, however, is picking a healthy dip.  You are not helping your children by getting them to eat vegetables covered in full-fat ranch dressing.  Rather, give them a small amount of light or fat-free dressing to dip.  You can also try a small amount of heart-healthy guacamole or hummus.  Remember, the idea is for your kids to eat vegetables with a little bit of dip- not dip with a little bit of vegetables!

9. Serve vegetable stir-fry.

A great dinner option is some type of protein (chicken, lean steak, or fish) with stir-fried vegetables.  My kids love when I make chicken teriyaki (which is mostly veggies with small chunks of chicken).  Sometimes I even add a few pineapple rings for extra sweetness!

10. My favorite way to serve my kids vegetables...

Anybody who has ever gone out to lunch with me and my family knows my ordering quirk.  Instead of ordering french fries for my children, I order them sliced cucumber.  Like french fries, they can be eaten with their hands and they have a nice crunch.  Obviously they don't taste the same as french fries but my kids enjoy them.  My children know that unless it is a special occasion, french fries are not an option for them.  It took awhile and there was definitely fighting and complaining in the beginning.  But I held strong and they have learned to eat the cucumbers instead.

There are many ways to get your children to enjoy eating vegetables.  You may have to get creative but in the end it is well worth it!

At times the desire to eat certain foods becomes overpowering and in an attempt to avoid disappointing Mom and Dad, kids start to sneak food.  Often, parents do not see the amount of unhealthy foods their children are consuming.  Have you noticed any erratic eating patterns, hidden candy wrappers, disappearing foods, or consistent weight gain?   If so, your child may be sneaking food.  Over time, children who sneak unhealthy foods can become overweight or obese.
What can you do as a concerned parent?

1. Initiate a conversation with your child and let him know that you will be discussing an important health issue.  Try not to come on too strong.  You might start by saying, “I have noticed something and I am worried about your health.”  You can then state your concern.  “I found a bunch of candy wrappers under your bed” or “I can’t understand why you are gaining weight when you seem to eat so healthy.”  Then tell him that you want to help, not condemn.
2. Do not bombard your child with questions all at once.  Once you have opened up the conversation, sit back and listen to what your child has to say.  At first, you may get denials.  If so, simply tell him that you love him and that you are always there if he wants to talk.  It may take some time before your child is ready to open up to you.
3. Be aware that secretive eating is almost always associated with feelings of guilt.  Let your child explain why he feels guilty about eating certain foods.  Try to emphasize that eating and enjoying food is an important part of life and should not be associated with guilt.  Remind your child that no food is off limits and that anything is okay in moderation.
4. Be sure your child knows that he should not feel embarrassed about craving certain foods or about overindulging.  Explain that dieting is not easy and that everybody goes overboard once in a while.  Let him know that you will not be angry if he occasionally eats unhealthy foods.  Tell him you are there to help him get through his cravings without completely sacrificing his nutrition.  Then explain what you do when you face cravings.  The bottom line is to make sure your child knows that you understand what he is going through.
5. Help your child find nutritious foods that he enjoys.  If your child is sneaking brownies, suggest a 100-calorie pack of brownies or a brownie Vitamuffin.  You may be able to find a healthier version of the desired food.
6. Try not to have junk food, desserts, and unhealthy snacks in the house. Remove the temptation by clearing the fridge and cupboards.
7. If the problem persists, consult a health professional.  Sneaking food is often a symptom of an underlying emotional issue.  It may even be a sign of depression so it is important to seek additional help if you cannot resolve the food sneaking behavior by yourself.

“Organic” products and organic foods have become a buzzing topic as of lately. Not surprisingly, consumers are often confused as to what organic really means. This article will look to answer some of the most common questions about buying organic and the benefits of choosing certain organic foods over non-organic foods.

What is Organic?

Use of the term Organic is monitored by the USDA National Organic Program (NOP). The NOP uses the word “Organic” to mean that a food or produce is grown or raised without the use of pesticides or synthetic fertilizers, in an area that is not contaminated by sewage, and does not involve genetically modified organisms or ionizing radiation (http://www.ams.usda.gov/AMSv1.0/NOP). “Organic” meat means that the animals are not raised with or given antibiotics or growth hormones.

The USDA NOP has created three categories of organic. 100% Organic is a top grade Organic product and all ingredients in the product are made according to the USDA organic farming standards. The second category is labeled simply as Organic which means that at least 95% of the ingredients are organic.  The third category is “Made with Organic Ingredients” which signifies that at least 70% of ingredients are made according to USDA’s organic standards without any genetically modified organisms.

Don’t get tricked!!! Products that contain less than 70% organic ingredients may still have labels boasting about their few organic components; this does not mean that the product is considered an organic product!!

Look for the Seal The USDA Organic seal assures buyers that the product comes from a manufacturer or farm that has an Organic-certified program and system plan and that all records of product production are verified in accordance to that plant. Manufacturers and farms that produce food that hold this seal are inspected annually unannounced to ensure standards are met and maintained.

Why Buy Organic??

Pesticides belong to a group of chemicals intended to kill living organisms and are intended to be toxic material. Consuming small amounts of pesticides each day may lead to a build-up of these toxic materials in the body. Pesticides in and on food have been linked to a variety of health problems including skin, eye, and lung irritation, cancers, nervous system side effects, and changes in hormone levels (http://www.epa.gov/pesticides/food/pest.htm). Organic produce is grown to be “earth friendly”, without pesticides and synthetic fertilizers. Although some foods nutritional content does not change depending on whether the food is organic or not, the presence of pesticides does!!!

What to buy Organic

According to the Environmental Working Group, the most contaminated foods are peaches, strawberries, apples, domestic blueberries, nectarines, cherries and imported grapes; buy these fruits organic! Of the vegetables: celery, sweet bell peppers, spinach, kale, collard greens and potatoes are best to buy organic because these vegetables retain the most pesticides (http://www.foodnews.org).

Naturally lower in Pesticides

The vegetables least likely to test positive for pesticides are onions, sweet corn, sweet peas, asparagus, cabbage, eggplant and sweet potatoes. Lower pesticide containing fruits include avocados, pineapples, mangoes, kiwi, domestic cantaloupe, watermelon, grapefruit and honeydew.

For a complete list of pesticide content for fruits and vegetables go to FoodNews.org.

Buy these Organic  (15 Listed from most pesticide-containing to least)

1. Celery
2. Peaches
3. Strawberries
4. Apples
5. Domestic Blueberries
6. Nectarines
7. Sweet Bell Peppers
8. Spinach
9. Kale/ Collard Greens
10. Cherries
11. Potatoes
12. Imported Grapes
13. Lettuce
14. Imported Blueberries
15. Carrots

There seems to be a number of contributing factors to the obesity epidemic our nation is facing.  Some of these include excessive caloric intake, decreased physical activity and cultural influences.  Now some researchers are investigating whether sleep deprivation may contribute to obesity.

Research presented at the International AC21 Research Festival points out that short sleep duration may lead to obesity through an increase of appetite via hormonal changes caused by the sleep deprivation.  Lack of sleep can produce the hormone Ghrelin which can stimulate appetite and creates less Leptin which suppresses appetite.

Babies and children under the age of 5 getting less than 10 hours of sleep at night are more likely to be overweight or obese 5 years later.  Insufficient sleep at night may be a lasting risk factor for obesity later in life (napping cannot replace the benefits of nighttime sleep).  Babies and children up to age 4 who didn’t sleep enough at night were 80% more likely to be obese 5 years later. In older children (5-13) this same link to obesity was not seen.

As for kids, studies show that most are not getting enough sleep.  There is an epidemic of childhood and adolescent obesity and video games and fast food are not solely to blame.  Researchers uncovered that shortened sleep in children under 5 years old predicts weight problems later on.   Also, short nighttime sleep duration increases the risk of early teens to shift from normal weight to overweight.  In other words, adolescents who sleep less are more likely to pile on the pounds.

Sleep disorders in young children may be avoided by following established bedtime routines.  Begin the calming down process at dinnertime. Dinner should not be served watching T.V. every night.  After dinner, allow the child to have some quiet playtime.  Offer puzzles, blocks or books ( as long as the activity is relatively quiet ).  Run a warm bath and allow for some playtime in the bath.  After the bath, get your child in a routine of getting their pajamas on, brushing their teeth and cleaning up.  Put your child into bed with a few books ( or feel free to join in this time ).  Set a limit and have some relaxing reading time before bed.  Have the books seem like a special treat every night which will also help develop a love of reading.  Most importantly, be firm with the bedtime routine.  The less you deviate from it the easier it will become.  This lets your child know what to expect each night.  Repetition for young children especially, can be extremely comforting.

Many teen’s hectic schedules keep them up late many nights.  Most teens need at least 8.5 hours of sleep.  However, studies show 85% of teens are getting less than 8 hours every night.  This sleep deficit causes many problems including adverse effects on their health causing weight gain. Some ways to prevent sleep disorders may be to avoid caffienated beverages after lunchtime and limit stimulating activities before bedtime. Also, limiting extracurricular activities and practicing relaxation techniques before bedtime such as gentle stretches help prevent symptoms of insomnia ( Resource-Mayo Clinic 2007).

So, are we overweight because we sleep less, or do we sleep less because we are overweight?  Until we know these answers, it makes sense to include a good night’s sleep in any child’s routine.  It turns out getting good, regular sleep may help to eat more regular meals which can be associated with better weight control.  We should avoid using food as a “pick-me-up” when it turns out, it’s really just sleep we need!